A Lonely Heart
by MyOwnCorner
Summary: Jane Smith is an extreme introvert who dreams of becoming a spy against the Germans. She is most happy to be left alone with her quiet life in the mean time. So when the loud Bucky Barns and his friend Steve Rogers enter her life, she is not at all happy to be caught up in top secret experiments, or propaganda tours, and certainly falling in love.
1. Chapter 1

All my life I knew I wasn't special. I wasn't amazing, nothing notable. That's not to say I was below anyone or bullied. I was just kinda ordinary, nothing memorable about me. I didn't plan it that way, it's just was what ended up happening. Just plain old Jane.

I used to try and stand out, but I found no matter what I did, I was always a background character, not matter where I was. It's the sort of thing you get used to. After a while I almost considered it a superpower, the girl who was never remembered. I'd make a great spy.

But fate had something different for me in mind; someone different in mind at least. He was the first one who made me feel I was needed, that I was a part of the main cast. He was the first to look at me and not through me. He was the first one that taught me to care about anyone else.

If I was the star of some big picture, I'd say we'd start the film in the Ezzay. Not the biggest nightclub in town, but it had a constant stream of people. I found this an ideal place to practice the espionage skills I had convinced myself I'd need one day, and they serve good bagels. I had my own spot in the corner that was perfect for eavesdropping, right under a recruitment poster for the war and next to the pay phone. I found that as always, I could make myself invisible, no one noticed me. Until one day, someone did.

"Did you hear about Sarah and Johnny?" giggles from the next table, I rolled my eyes and hoped this wasn't going to be the speed of all the news here tonight. I scanned the room, but stopped. There was some half starved chicken staring right at me. Wait... not at me. Wait, over me. At the recruitment poster behind me. I could breath again. Human contact avoided. Because as much as I like watching people, I didn't want anything to do with talking to them. Expectantly if they looked like a toothpick.

"Not again Steve. You need a life." Good, toothpick had a friend. Now, please both of you go and get away from me so I can continue my mission. "Steve, you need a girl, not an enlistment form. I drag you places all the time and you just try and find a recruitment station. You need to get a life."

Something about the two made me uncomfortable. I don't know what, but they felt like trouble.

"Bucky, you know me, I'm not interested in girls. That's your job." Urg, why are they still right in front of my table, I can't see anything else. And these are two people I don't care about spying on. NO challenge. They are literally standing less than 10 feet in front of me and still haven't noticed me yet. Can I say boring? Maybe if I stir my hot chocolate really loud, toothpick and his friend will get the message and buzz off.

"Hey there, can I ask a favor?" I flinched, a single warning sounded in my head: HUMAN TALKING TO ME! ABORT, ABORT! Toothpick's friend had noticed me. " Woh, I didn't mean to startle you, I was just going to ask if you could give my friend here a dance? He's too shy to ask himself."

" _Bucky_ I don't care about dancing. Besides, I think you're scaring her." Yes, thank you toothpick, I'm very much aware I look like a deer caught in some bright lights.

"No, I don't dance." I was even slightly surprised by how much my voice sounded like it hadn't been used for at least a century.

"Come on Bucky, let's go. Please." Yes listen to toothpick, now go.

"Steve, Steve, Steve," toothpick's friend rolled his eyes. "You really need to learn how to act around girls. And looks like you," he gave me a wink, creepy, "wouldn't be hurt for a lesson in social interactions either." Oh please, if there is mercy on God's green earth, get this person away from me.

"Bucky, what are you doing, she obviously wants us to go." As much as I tryed, words wouldn't come out of my mouth. So I mostly just sat there like a pale, shaky statue.

"You know me Steve, I have a soft spot for those who are socially ill adjusted. Come on, I hang around you. Besides, maybe this girl will be your speed." Why are you talking about me? I can still hear you. I gave him a death glare. "Come on, do you have anyone waiting for you?"

"Of course." I hoped my voice didn't sound too shaky as a gave him the line.

"Well then, I hope you don't mind if we wait with you. This is Steve, and I'm James, but please call me Bucky." Like I was going to be impressed by the smile he gave me.

I did what any reasonable person would do. I gave him a death stare and the silence treatment until he was the one squirming. I'll admit, he was a persistent one, he kept trying to talk to me until he realized it wasn't going to work. Toothpick wasn't so bad, he just kinda sat there and looked at the recruitment poster until his friend suggested they find something else to do. Once again, Jane 1; world 0.

Finally Monday rolled around. I was lost in thought about everything and nothing as I walked to work that day, just like every other day. It's funny. No; cashiering at Tom's Corner Market wasn't my dream job, but I didn't hate it. I usually would, having to talk to consumers at all, but this was a role I could play. No one was talking to Jane, nobody even saw her. There was the cashier, but that's all. A position, not a person.

"And how was your weekend Jane?" Molly Thomas, the other employee with the morning shift. She wasn't all that bad. It had just taken some time for me to warm up to her at all.

"Horrible, I was having a nice quiet bite at Ezzay's on Friday when a pair of guys came over and started harassing me."

"Which is your code for talking to you, you should really be nicer to people you know." I stuck my tongue out to make her chuckle at how unlikely that was.

 _Ding_ Customers this early, urgg.

"I'm telling you Steve, this store's supposed to carry all sorts of exitic fruits, like kiwis and stuff. It'll be a hit at the party." I paled. It was them. The two from last Friday. Toothpick and company. Well, not much to worry about. I remember faces well, but my face isn't the type that anyone can seem to remember.

"Hey, if it isn't the girl from last Friday." My tongue slid out of my mouth and into my stomach. I just kinda stared at him.


	2. Chapter 2

"Look Steve, she still doesn't seem one for much talking." His smile was paired by a light chuckle.

"Don't mind Bucky, he doesn't mean any harm, he is just really loud." Toothpick gave a small smile. "Come on, let's just get our fruit and leave her alone Bucky." Yes, listen to toothpick and scram.

"You boys finding everything OK?" Good, Molly to the rescue. She likes people. Hopefuly toothpicks friend would start talking to her instead and forget me.

"No, not at all. This one seems to have lost her name." He pointed at me and threw a staged look of alarm on his face.

"Aw, our very own Miss Jane Smith. A rare creature, highly allergic to people, fun, and it has been rumored to smiling. All these things cause glaring, extreme irritation, and on occasion; blushing. As we can now observe." She pointed to my face which had gone red from her teasing.

"Molly, I hate you right now." And I meant it. That got a big laugh from toothpick's friend. So he got a big glare from me.

"Don't mind Jane, she just takes time to warm up to people. It was a month of me working here before I think she really accepted me." At that point I started walking to the back, refusing to be the point of every joke.

"Wait, wait, I'm sorry Miss. Don't hate me. Let me make it up to you." Toothpick's friend turned to Molly, "How about me and Steve treat you two girls to some dancing this Friday?" I gave Molly a nothing on earth is going to get me to go look.

"Sure, we'd love that. You make it worth our time and I'll make sure dark and gloomy over there shows up." I rolled my eyes and just left into the storage room to plan on how to give Molly the slip on Friday. Luckily I'd have the rest of the week to plan this. Molly can be really determined once she sets her mind on something.

It turned out it only took about five minutes for Molly to completely plan someone's demise.

"It's all set. The boys are going to come here quarter to eight on Friday and wait for us to finish up here; then we are all going to go to that big charity dance downtown and finishing up with icecream. And you are not ruining this Jane."

"How can I ruin it if I'm not there?"

"Jane, you are going. Did you see how cute the taller one was? If you blow this off, I'll make the next week here miserable!"

"Why can't you grab someone else?"

"Because Bucky seems to have taken a liking to you."

"Oh great, just what I want. A boy chasing me." I rolled my eyes to show how thrilled I was.

"Don't worry Jane, one date with you and I'm sure he'll bug off."

"Thaaanks."

"Well, isn't that what you've been trying to build up? A wall that can stop anyone after one shot at it?"

"You make me sound so gloomy, I just want people to leave me alone."

"Well that's what you're going to get one of these days, at this rate; you'll become an old maid who couldn't get a date even if she wanted one!"

"Wow, wouldn't that be neat."

"Come on Jane, you don't really want that, do you?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that is what I want out of life."

"Fine, how's this, you come to this one date, if you don't like it I'll stop bugging you about your horrible social goals. And if you back out of this I'll make this next week a living nightmare for you."

 _Sigh_ "Fine, you win this battle, but mark it, I'll win the war."

It's funny how nervous you can get for an event you didn't want to go to. When Friday came, it suddenly occurred to me that this was the first date a boy had asked me on. I had had a few blind dates when I was younger that people had dragged me on, but this was somehow different. It was still sort of a blind date, but he'd at least meet me before, even if it had only been once. It was really strange, for one I cared if I looked nice that day and I had a bad case of the butterflies all day. It was bad enough Molly even noticed it.

"I thought you were saying just yesterday that the date today was no big deal."

"Well, it's going to happen, so it's not a big deal."

"You did something different with your hair and you're pacing around the shop, that says it's a big deal."

"I'm just concerned for my own safety, I'm preparing to meet my doom."

"You can be so dramatical."

As much as I hate to admit it, Molly was right. My nerves where showing bright and clear all day, until 7:30, then they exploded.

"Molly, I'm going to be sick, I can't do this date thing."

"Jane, they're just two boys. There's nothing to be afraid of, don't give me that look."

"Then don't make me do this."

"No chance."

 _Ding_ , the bell. I looked and saw them. Toothpick and his friend came in casually, as if they weren't here to drag us off to our doom. As much as I hate to admit it, part of me couldn't help but notice that toothpick's friend seemed to have had put some thought into his appearance that night. It wasn't big, but from his well styled hair and his fresh pressed cloths, you could tell he put some effort into how he looked. Even toothpick looked like he had tried.

They hung out at the door politely and waited for us to finish up. I took a few deep breaths during that brief time and tried to convince myself that this was all a good idea. Well, one can try anyway. It seemed just a few seconds later me and everyone was out the door and heading down town.

"You ready for this?" Toothpick's friend offered me his arm as we started walking.

"No, but Molly's not giving me a choice."

"Well, let's see if I can make you feel differently by the end of the night, shall we?"

"Good luck." I said as I looked him in the eyes properly for the first time, all I could really think was how nice a blue they were up close.


End file.
